I wasn’t particularly surprised by the names.
After everything I had seen, the visions I had experienced and the things I had learned throughout my journey, I had long suspected that Amun and Theras stood at the center of whatever had happened to their original universe.
The interesting part wasn’t that they were involved. The interesting part was how.
The old woman seemed to understand exactly what I was thinking because she smiled faintly before continuing.
"Both brothers were extraordinary. No matter which side of history you stand on today, nobody can deny that."
She settled more comfortably into her chair.
"From childhood they were compared against each other. Every teacher, noble or commander compared them. It didn’t matter what either of them accomplished because the first question people always asked was whether the other brother could do it better."
A faint chuckle escaped her.
"Most children would have broken under that kind of pressure."
Her eyes drifted toward the window.
"Those two thrived in it."
I listened quietly.
"Theras was easier to understand. He was ambitious and aggressive in everything he did. If he entered a room, people noticed. If he made a declaration, people listened. If he decided he wanted something, nobody doubted he would eventually obtain it."
She shook her head slightly.
"The man carried himself like he was destined to rule."
There was almost admiration in her voice.
"Even people who disliked him couldn’t deny his charisma."
Then her expression shifted.
"Amun was different. In some ways he was even more frustrating. He possessed talent equal to his brother’s. Some would argue greater. Yet for most of his early life he seemed completely uninterested in proving it."
I couldn’t help smiling. That sounded exactly like the Amun I had come to know.
"While Theras spent his time building influence and power, earning military achievements and gathering supporters, Amun wandered wherever his curiosity took him. Some years he buried himself in ancient libraries. Other years he disappeared into distant territories chasing strange theories that nobody else cared about."
The old woman laughed softly.
"There were periods when people genuinely forgot he was supposed to be the heir."
That surprised me.
"He was the Lord’s son."
"He was."
She nodded.
"Which is why everyone assumed he would inherit the realm eventually."
Then her smile faded.
"At least until Lord Casteil adopted Theras."
The atmosphere changed slightly. I had already seen fragments of that moment through visions. The old woman noticed my expression.
"You’ve seen pieces of it, haven’t you?"
"Some."
She nodded.
"Then you already know how shocking it was."
Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"Nobody understood the decision. Even today there are arguments about why it happened. Some believe Lord Casteil simply saw greater potential in Theras. Others claim he was trying to prepare the realm for future conflicts. There are even people who insist he knew something about the future and acted accordingly."
She shrugged.
"The truth died with the people involved. What everyone did understand, however, was the consequence. The moment Theras entered the family, the balance shifted."
Her gaze sharpened.
"The Lord didn’t hide his support. Resources and opportunities flowed toward Theras. The strongest teachers became his teachers. Important military campaigns became his campaigns."
She leaned back slightly.
"Naturally the great families noticed. They started choosing sides. No great realm remains neutral when succession becomes uncertain. Some families believed Theras was the future. Others remained loyal to Amun because he was the Lord’s blood. Others simply followed whichever path they believed would benefit them most."
"And us?"
"We backed Amun."
The answer came with enough confidence that I almost laughed.
"You sound proud of that."
"I am."
She didn’t hesitate.
"We weren’t the first family to support him, but we were among the earliest."
Then she shook her head.
"At the time many people thought we had lost our minds."
"Why?"
"Because if you looked at the situation objectively, Theras was the safer choice."
The old woman folded her hands together.
"By then he had gathered influential supporters throughout the realm. Powerful families wanted to be associated with him. Military commanders respected him. Even ordinary people admired him."
She laughed.
"If someone had asked a hundred people who would eventually rule, ninety-nine of them would have answered Theras."
"The problem was that Ironharts have never been particularly interested in doing the reasonable thing. Most families saw certainty when they looked at Theras. We saw a crowded road. Every ambitious bloodline in the realm wanted a place beside him. Everyone wanted influence and reward."
Her gaze drifted toward me.
"When we looked at Amun, however, we saw something different."
"What?"
The smile on her face slowly faded.
"Heart."
The answer surprised me.
"Not talent. Plenty of people had talent."
Her expression became more thoughtful.
"Not power either. Theras possessed plenty of that."
The old woman leaned forward slightly.
"Amun understood things. He spent years asking questions nobody else cared about."
Her voice had become noticeably calmer.
"While the rest of the realm obsessed over succession, military campaigns and political influence, Amun was trying to understand the larger picture."
I listened carefully.
"He wanted to know why the Throne existed."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"He wanted to know why every path toward Godhood seemed incomplete. And most importantly, he wanted to know what lay beyond the limits everyone else accepted."
Then her gaze drifted toward the distant horizon beyond the window.
"Unfortunately," she said quietly, "being right doesn’t always make life easier."
The smile disappeared completely.
"Especially when the entire universe is marching toward a war that will eventually destroy everything it touches."
It was hard to imagine how things must have played out at that point in time. How powerful these beings were and how their every decision decided the fate of countless people.
"Everything truly began when Lord Casteil found the secret."
I remained silent.
"The wars between the seven realms had already lasted for generations by that point. Entire bloodlines had risen and fallen. Alliances had been forged and broken so many times that nobody could keep track anymore. Yet despite all the fighting, despite all the victories and defeats, the seven Lords remained trapped at the same stage - the Demi-God stage."